Administration drafts plan to ensure smooth conduct of poll

Mahesh Sharma

Malerkotla, April 2

The administration has drafted a comprehensive plan to ensure smooth election process during the Lok Sabha poll, with special focus on the comfort and safety of all stakeholders, including voters and members of the election staff at 400 booths established in localities falling under the Malerkotla, Amargarh and Ahmedgarh Assembly segments of Sangrur and Fatehgarh Sahib Lok Sabha constituencies.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner Pallavi and SSP Simrat Kaur after conducting a joint inspection of some randomly selected polling booths in Malerkotla.

“Having conducted a joint inspection by teams of civil and police personnel at booths, including vulnerable and sensitive ones, we have initiated the process to meticulously implement the draft plan so that the maximum number of eligible voters are encouraged to use the right to vote without any bias, fear, coercion or allurement,” said DC Pallavi.

SSP Kaur said sufficient proactive arrangements had been made to ensure the safety of all stakeholders during the elections and maintain peace in the region.

“Having identified intoxicants and weapons as major threats in smooth and peaceful conduct of elections, we have advised all DSPs and SHOs to ensure that license holders are persuaded to deposit their weapons with the police or gun houses,” said Kaur, adding that the noose had been tightened around drug peddlers and smugglers of illicit liquor.

Joint teams of the Police and Excise Departments had been constituted to conduct searches of vehicles and premises that could be potentially used for transporting and stocking illicit liquor or drugs and narcotics. Deserted places, marriage palaces, hostels and hotels were cited as suspected premises for storing illegal intoxicants and drugs.

SDMs Gurmeet Kumar Bansal and Aparna MB said some discrepancies in the infrastructure at certain polling stations and booths were observed during the joint inspection by District Election Officer Pallavi and SSP Kaur, and the process for rectifying those incongruities had been initiated.